Corner construction for freight cars



Dec. 23, 1930.

'w. E. WINE CORNER CONSTRUCTION FOR FREIGHT CARS F iled April 2, 1929 INVENTOR.

ATTOR N EY.

Patented Dec. 23, 1930 A UN TED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE ILLIAM'R. WINE, 0F 'ro Eno, onto.

CORNER ooNsT ucTIoN FOR FREIGHT oARs Application filed April 2, 1929. Serial in. "351,968.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in freight cars, and the present application has to do with the construction of the ends of a freight'car of similar type to that shown in my Patent No. 1,698,- 866, andfor which a reissuewas granted on April 23, 1929, and bearing Reissue No. 17 ,285.

In the construction shown in the patent,

above mentioned,the ends are offset, that is, the end side sheetsextend from the end side stakes inwardly to the corner postsof the car. This form of car is known as the full capacity type. The present application relates to the same type of car buthas corner bracketswhich fit over" the top rails'of the car, which brackets are right angular in shape rather than obtuse, so that the side top rails,

together withfthe brackets, meet the end top in its proper position, the offset ends do not bear on the ground orplatform' and again the car is apt to'cant or tWi st.

One of the bjects, therefore, of the pres ent invention is to have the corner brackets thatfit over the top rails right angular in shape, so thatwhen the car is laid over on its side, the top rail and the bracket can contact with the ground or platform from end to end ofthecar. x Y i Still another object ofthe invention is to provide a corner construction atrthe four corners of the car, wherein the end side sheets,

the end sheets, and corner posts are identical with the structure shown in my previously mentioned patent, but wherein the top. rail corner brackets are differently constructed than those shown. the above mentioned patent, so thatthe top plan of the car will Still another object of the invention-is to providea top rail corner bracket that has a downwardly extending flange on its inner edge and a downwardly extending flange on its outer edge, so that the ends of the top rails may be tightly held in position to thus tightly tie the top rails and side sheets together.,

'Still another object of the, invention is to provide a top rail corner construction'for freight cars which may .be readily applied to the type of cars shown in my above men tioned patent with but little, if any, change. and may also be applied'to new cars of a similar type. V

Still another object ofthe invention is to form a corner construction wherein all the advantages are retained which are shown in my above mentioned patent, and will possess "additional advantages, as'will be nriderstood the specification proceeds.

' VViththeseandbther obiects'in view, the. invention consists in new and useful iimprovements, as will be hereinafter more fully described and, pointed out in the claims.

: Referring now to the drawings,

Fig' 1 is a fragmentary end portion of a freight car of the type shown in my Patent,

No. 1,698,866, and nowreissued as 17,285 of April 23, 1929, and showing the improved top rail corner bracket in place;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a corner of the car showing how the top rail corner bracket-1 ties the ends of the top rails together;

Fig. 3 isan enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 ofFig. 1;

- Figs is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line l 4 of Flg. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line appear to beperfectly rectangular in shape.

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the top rail corner bracket.

Referring now more specifically to the several views, there is shown a fragmentary portion of a freight car, there being the side sheet 1, the end side sheet 2 with its upward trough-like portion 3, the top rail 4, and the corner post 5. There may also be seen the ladder 6 at the side of the car, and the other usual safety appliances will, of course, be present.

It will be understood that the end side sheet 2 extends inwardly from an end side stake 7 to the corner post 5, as may be seen in Fig. 2, and the further details of construction of the remainder of this type of car may all be understood by referring to my above mentioned Reissue Patent, No. 17,285.

In the present application. however, instead of having the top side rail 4 extend right up to the end top rail 8, as shown in my Reissue Patent, No. 17,285 (Fig. 3), it terminates at the point 9, that is, some distance away from the end of the top rail 8. In the drawings, the rail 1 terminates about over one of the stiles of the ladder 6, but it is readily apparent that this top rail might be longer or shorter, if desired.

Referring now for the moment to Fig. 6. there will be seen the improved top rail corner bracket 10 comprising the one arm 11 and the other arm 12, these arms merging and at right angles to each other, and the arm 11 widening out to conform to the inclined end side sheet.

It might be mentioned that all four corner brackets are the same, so that a description of one is a description of them all.

This bracket is preferably cut or stamped from a piece of sheet lnetal, but might be made in the form of a steel casting, if desired.

Along the inner edge of each of the arms 11 and 12 there extends the downwardly extending flange 13, which is at right angles to the top surface. while along the outer peripheral edge of the two arms is the further downwardly extending flange 1 1, which is not quite as great in depth as the flange 13, as this flange just fits over the bulb of the top rail.

Rivet holes 15 may be seen in the top surface of the arm 12 and like rivet holes 16 may be seen in the top surface at the end of the arm 11. Also. further rivet holes 17 are formed along the flange 13.

Referring now to the other figures, it will be seen that this bracket 10 is placed with the arm 11 over the end of the side top rail at and, of course, the end of the end top rail 8 will also be secured in the arm 12 of the bracket. Rivets will then be passed through the holes 15 and through rivet holes at the end of the top rail 8, and in a like manner,

the arm 11 of the bracket will be riveted to the end of the top rail 4:.

The flange 13 of the bracket is then riveted to the vertical leg of the side and end top rails. Also, the upper edge of the slope sheet 2 will be riveted to this flange 13, the rivets passing through the rivet holes 17, already mentioned.

Right under the inner corner of thebracket, the corner post 5 of the car may be seen (Fig. 3), and this also will be riveted to the flange 13.

Thus, it will be seen that this top rail corner bracket is somewhat similar to the corner bracket shown in my Reissue Patent No. 17,285, but is provided. with the downwardly extending flange 13 which was not present in the other application. It will also be seen that this bracket is right angular in construction rather than obtuse, as shown in this reissue patent. One of the legs, also, is much longer, due to its right angular construction, so that it can lie parallel with the side top rail of the car.

Certain mechanical advantages are also obtained from the construction standpoint of making this right angular, as this improved bracket may be made in the one operation after the dies have once been made, whereas, in the old style, it was necessary, after blanking out the same, to reheat and bend.

Now, as may be noticed in Figs. 2 and 3, by forming this bracket 11, as shown, the top rails at the sides of the car, together with these brackets, form substantially parallel surfaces throughout the entire sides of the car, that is, along its upper edges or, stating it in a different manner, the car, as viewed from the top, appears to be rectangular, although the end side sheets slope inwardly from the end side stakes to the end corner posts just as in the former construction. This rectangular form has its advantages, as when the car is turned over on its sides, it will have an unbroken top rail throughout the entire length of the side or, in other words, from one corner post to the other.

By providing the offset end side sheets, the ladder, or other safety appliances, may be placed in exactly the same relative positions as they were before. Of course, the ends of the car made up of the end sheets 18 are just the same as in my previous patent and the specific construction thereof does not in. any way enter into the present invention. The end side sheets with their upper and lower troughs may be utilized, so that all the advantages of the previous type of car are retained, with the additional strength at the corners.

These top rail corner brackets really form continuations of the side top rails and when joined to the end top rails provide a rectan gular structure when viewed from the top.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a construction for the corners of the car that rigidly tie the several parts in position, make it possible for the car to be tipped over on its side without canting and, at the same time, retain all the advantages shown in my previous construction.

Many slight changes might be made withcorner posts of the freight car, end top rails, V

7 side top rails terminating short of the ends of the end top rails, right angular shaped brackets riveted to the ends of the end top rails and side top rails, and also riveted to the end side sheets to thereby make the top rails rectangular in outline. v

2. A freight car having inwardly sloping end side sheets, top side rails and end top rails, the side top rails terminating short of the end top rails, corner brackets respective- 7 1y having a downwardly extending flange on its inner side, the said brackets riveted to the said top rails, and the end sheets also riveted to the said respectively downwardly extending flange of the said brackets.

3. A top rail corner bracket for freight cars having arms merging at right angles, downwardly extending peripheral flanges on the'bracket and said bracket adapted to be riveted to the top rails, end sheets and end side sheets of the freight car.

4. A top rail corner bracket in the form of an integral structure, said bracket comprising two arms extending atright angles to each other, one of said arms being longer than the other, downwardly extending flanges on the inner and outer peripheral edges of the bracket, and the inner flange adapted to be riveted to the top rails, sides and ends of a freight car.

5. A freight car having inset corner posts, end sheets, end side sheets sloping from'the corner posts outwardly to the sides of the car, side top rails, end top rails, the side top rails terminating short of the end top rails, right angular shaped brackets riveted to the side top rails and end top rails, and overlying the sides of the top rail, and the said brackets also riveted to the end side sheets, corner posts, and the end sheets of the car. V 6. A top rail corner bracket for freight cars, said bracket comprising two arms extending at right an les to each other, a downwardly extending ange on the inner periph- 7. A top rail corner bracket for freight cars having two arms extending at right angles to each other, the outer peripheral edge of the bracket being right angular, one of the sides of one of the arms being angularly arranged with relation to its outer edge and adapted to conform to the position of an oifset end side sheet, downwardly extending flanges on said bracket, and one of said flanges adapted to be secured to an end side sheet, top rail and end sheet of a freight car.

.In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM E. WINE.

eral edge ofthe bracket, one of the arms widening out as it approaches the point of merger and adapted to conform to the slope of a side sheet and the downwardly extending flange adapted to be riveted to the top rails, sides and ends of a freight car. 

